Method and apparatus for twisting and plying yarn



Aug. 7, 1962 Q BRUTKO 3,048,000

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND FLYING YARN Filed Aug. 1. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ FIQZ INVENTOR. CONSTANT/IVE A. ERI/TKO C. A. BRUTKO Aug. 7, 1962 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND FLYING YARN Filed Aug. 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. CONSTANT/IV! .4. BRl/TKQ C. A. BRUTKO METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND FLYING YARN Filed Aug. 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M-Q-I INVENTOR.

CONSTANT/N6 A. BBUTKO FIG. 4

ATTOENY 3,048,000 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND PLYING YARN Constantine A. Brutlao, Shelby, N.C., assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 46,746 11 Claims. (Cl. 57-90) This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for twisting and plying yarn, and it has particular relationship to a method of and a feed mechanism for supplying glass fiber strand or yarn for a ring twisting and plying operation.

According to conventional practice, two or more ends of multi-filament yarn can be twisted and plied together by pulling the ends downwardly off the sides of horizontally mounted yarn packages, combining the ends and winding them over end around a vertically mounted, rotating twister tube. The twisted and plied yarn is guided onto the tube by means of a traveler mounted for rotation on a ring surrounding the twister tube. The twister tube and ring are reciprocated vertically relative to each other so as to distribute the twisted and plied yarn along the length of the tube.

The yarn delivery packages are usually mounted on a creel for rotation with their axes approximating a horizontal position. The yarn from the several packages must be fed through a suitable delivery or feed means in order that each end of yarnis fed to the twister tube at the same speed. It has been conventional to use a feed means which is com-posed of two spaced apart rollers. In starting up the operation, the ends of yarn are combined by the operator and wrapped around the two rollers several times before the combined ends are attached to the twister tube. The yarn must be passed around the rollers several times in order to create enough friction to prevent slippage of the yarn. Each turn of the yarn around the rollers is spaced axially of each other turn, and the yarn follows the same pathon the rollers throughout the twisting and plying operation. Grooves are thereby made in the rollers, and these grooves tend to break individual filaments in the yarn.

There are several disadvantages to this type of feed mechanism. It is time-consuming to thread the yarn around the rollers several times. This type of feed mechanism is not suited for twisting and plying zero twist yarn, particularly zero twist, multi-filament glass fiber yarn which is also known in the art as glass fiber strand. The description of the invention hereinafter and in the claims will refer to yarn, but it is intended that such term include strands. The individual filaments of glass fiber yarn are easily broken and special precautions must be taken with glass fiber yarn during textile twisting and plying operations. In the feed mechanism described above, if a single filament of zero twist glass fiber yarn is broken, the filament tends to wrap around one or the other of the feed rollers. The broken filament causes other filaments to break and eventually enough of the broken filaments become collected on the rollers to prevent passage of the glass yarn. This condition is known as roller lap and it invariably breaks out the yarn and stops the twisting .and plying operation.

It is an object of this invention 'to provide a feed mecha- 'nism for conventional ring twisting and plying apparatus which can be easily threaded. It is a further object of the invention to provide such a feed mechanism that will permit glass fiber yarn, particularly zero twist glass fiber yarn, 'to be efiiciently twisted and plied. It is also an object of this invention to provide such a feed mechanism in combination with individual stop motions for each end of yarn so that the feed mechanism and twisting and plying mechanism can be stopped upon breakage of any one end of yarn.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by means of a pair of coacting, rotating feed rollers and an oscillating guide associated therewith. Stop motion elements are also associated with the means for rotating the feed rollers so as to stop the rollers upon breakage of one of the ends of yarn. The yarn is passed between the feed rollers and partly around the circumference of each roller during the twisting and plying operation, and the guide means continuously changes the location of contact of the yarn on the rollers during the operation. This reduces the possibility of the formation of rough grooves in the rollers and thereby serves to prevent breakage of the individual filaments. It also serves to tuck in any individual filaments which have already become broken before they enter the feeding mechanism. This prevents the accumulation of broken filaments and fuzz on the feed rollers and permits continuous operation of the twisting and plying operation.

The manner of accomplishment of the objects of the invention by the mechanism described may be understood by reference to the following description of the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2. is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partially in section, of the feed mechanism of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, of the feed mechanism shown in FIG. 3.

In the drawing there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a diagrammatic view of a twisting and plying apparatus. The yarn supply packages 10, which may be for example forming packages of zero twist glass fiber strand or tubes of twisted glass fiber strand, are mounted on a creel above the feed mechanism generally indicated at 12. The supply packages 10 are mounted for free rotation with a controlled amount of friction on the creel and their axes are in approximately a horizontal position. The individual ends 14 of the yarn are removed from the side of the package and are pulled through individual stop motion guides 16, over an oscillating bar guide 18 or through an oscillating pigtail guide 19 by means of the feed mechanism 12.

The feed mechanism 12 is composed of two rollers 20 and 22. Roller 20 is approximately 6 inches in diameter and is driven by suitable means (not shown). Roller 22 is smaller in diameter than roller 20 and may be approximately 2 inches in diameter. Roller 22 is positioned above roller 20 with its axis parallel to the axis of roller 20 and at an angle of approximately 10 to 60 degrees, preferably about 35 degrees, from a vertical line drawn through the axis of roller 20'. Roller 22 is held against roller 20 by its own weight for tangential contact therewith under a slight pressure. The weight of the roller 22 plus its support 24 may be, for example, about 1 to 3 pounds, the roller' 22 being about 2 inches in length. The surface of roller 22 is formed of a resilient rubber sleeve 23 having a roughened surface to permit gripping of roller 20' and the ends of the yarn. The roller '22 is thus surface driven by means of power driven roller 20.

The axis of roller 22 is mounted for rotation on one end of a support arm 24 which is pivotally mounted on suitable box-like, supporting framework 25 at its other end 26. This mounting ofthe roller 22 permits it to be raised very easily from roller 20 during the start-up of the twisting operation so that the ends of yarn can be threaded around and between the feed rollers. The operator merely raises the roller 22 with his one hand while 3 he wraps the combined ends partially around the roller 2% with his other hand. When this is done, the roller 22 is permitted to return toward contact with roller 20 (the ends of yarn now being between the rollers) and the ends are wrapped partially around roller 22 for delivery to the twister.

To start up the operation, the ends 14 are passed through the guides 16 of the stop elements and over guide bar 18 and thereafter combined by the operator. If only two or possibly three ends are to be plied, the ends are passed through pigtail guide 19; whereas if four or more ends are to be plied together, the yarn is preferably passed over the bar guide 18. The combined ends are passed down around the roller 20 and up between the meeting faces of the rollers 25) and 22 and up over the top portion of roller 22 and thence down to the ring twister as just described. The combined ends of yarn pass through approximately 210 to 260 degrees of the circumference of each roller depending upon the axial alignment of the two rollers. The combined ends are then passed downwardly through a pigtail guide 40 located directly above a twister spindle 42 upon which a suitable yarn receiving tube 44 is mounted. Surrounding the twister spindle and tube is a conventional twister ring 46 carrying a guide (traveler) 48 around grooves 50 in its periphery. The combined ends pass under the trav eler and then horizontally inwardly toward the twister tube at substantially a right angle thereto.

The twister spindle 42 is driven by a belt 52 connected to suitable power means (not shown), and the extent of twist supplied to the yarn depends upon the spindle speed, speed of the yarn fed from the feed rollers and the weight of the traveler. These conditions are all well-known in the textile art. The ring is reciprocated vertically with respect to the twister tube to distribute the twisted and plied yarn along the length of the tube. The ring is rigidly attached to a supporting member 56 which is reciprocated vertically by suitable means such as a rack and pinion (not shown).

The feed rollers 20 and 22 have a length in an axial direction which is suflicient to permit the combined ends to be traversed back and forth along the surfaces of the rollers as the ends pass over the surfaces of the rollers. The feed rollers may be for example 2 to 4 inches in length. This oscillation is accomplished by means of bar guide or pigtail guide 19 which is shown in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bar 13 is positioned so that as it pushes against the ends 14 to move them laterally across the face of roller 20, it tends to push the ends together and progressively increase the tension of the ends from one end to the other of the bar., When the bar 18 is retracted, the tension on the ends of yarn causes them to seek to return to the other end of the feed rollers 20 and 22. The bar 18 and pigtail guide 12 are mounted on a plate 66* which is pivotally mounted on framework 45 at 62. The plate 60 rotates outwardly so as to move the ends of yarn laterally in a line parallel to the axis of the feed rollers 20 and 22. The plate 75 is moved outwardly by means of lever 64 pivotally mounted on the framework 45 at 65. One end of the lever 64 contacts the plate 60 and the other end of the lever is moved by a cam 67 which rotates on a bar 70. The movement of the plate is very slow so that the lateral movement of the ends of yarn is about to inches per minute.

The oscillation of the combined ends 14 across the faces of the rollers 2t and 22 as they pass over the faces permits any broken filaments to be tucked into the ends and carried along with them, rather than to remain on the surfaces of either of the rolls and wind thereon. This is particularly important when zero twist yarn is fed to the feed rolls, for any broken filaments in this type of yarn are free to be stripped from the yarn. The problem is not as acute with twisted yarn, however it still exists to a lesser degree and therefore the invention is applicable and beneficial to the twisting and plying of twisted yarns as well as untwisted yarns.

The stop motion guides 16 are mechanically connected with the driving means for the feed roller 20. Each stop motion guide 16 is pivotally mounted on a bar 72 attached to the framework 45. A weighted extension 73 of the guide tends to rotate the guide 16 backwardly away from the strand end. As the guide 16 rotates, the weighted extension contacts one end 74 of a plate 75. The plate 75 is pivotally mounted near its center to the end of an upright arm 76 of bell crank lever 77. The end 78 of the plate 75 which is opposite to end 74 is heavier than end 74 so that end 78 is normally down and end 74 is normally up. The upward travel of end 74 is limited by stop 89 projecting from the side of the framework 45.

As the weighted extension 73 of the guide 16 pushes the end 74 of plate 75 downwardly, end 78 rises into the path of a continuously reciprocating rocker arm 84. The rocker arm 84 pushes the plate 75 forward, and this in turn moves the arm '7 6 of bell crank lever 77 forward and the other arm 36 of the bell crank lever 77 downward. The arm 86 is provided with a shoulder 88 and the shoulder provides a notch in the arm 86 to hold a pin 90 of bell crank lever 92. The arm 86 is urged upwardly by means of spring 93, and the upward travel is limited by the pin 96.

The pin 90 projects sidewise from vertical arm 94 of hell crank lever 92. The arm 94 is urged forward by spring 95 which pushes upwardly against the horizontal arm 97 of the bell crank lever 92. Another horizontal arm 98 of hell crank lever 92. is connected to a rod 1% which is connected to a means (not shown) for engaging and disengaging the twister spindle with its belt drive. The end of arm 97 extends into the path of lugs 161 on shaft 102 forming the axle of the roller 20. The shaft 102 is connected to bevel gear 103 by means of a one-way spring clutch arrangement 164. The roller is rotated by power received from continuously driven bevel gear 106 which drives bevel gear 1% which in turn through clutch 1&4 drives the shaft 162 of roller 20. When the end of the arm 97 is positioned so that it extends into the path of the lugs 1% on the shaft 102, the bevel gears continue to operate, but the clutch 164 does not transmit the motion to the shaft 1%. Thus, the roller 2%} is not rotated.

In starting the twisting and plying operation, the operator threads the strand ends through the guides 16 to hold them forward and threads the ends through the rollers and onto the spindle as described above. Then he pushes against surface 1% of bell crank lever 92. This moves the arm 94 inwardly so that the pin 96 drops into the notch formed by the shoulder 88 on the arm 86 of bell crank lever 77. The arm 36 of the bell crank lever '77 is urged upwardly to hold the pin 90 in the notch formed by the shoulder 88 by means of the spring 93. With the bell crank lever 92 held in this position by the bell crank lever 77, the arm 97 of bell crank lever 92 is held free of the lugs ltll on the shaft 102 of roller 29. This permits the bevel gears 193 and 106 to drive the roller 20. It also moves the rod 1% to permit the engagement of the spindle with its belt drive.

The operation may be stopped in either of two ways. If an end breaks, the sequence described above with respect to the stop motion guide 16 is followed. The weighted end 73 of the guide 16 moves downwardly and depresses the end 74 of plate 75 to cause end 78 of plate 75 to move into the path of the rocker arm 84. This moves the bell crank lever 77 forward to release the pin 90 and permit the bell crank lever 92 to rotate and raise its arm 97 into the path of lugs 101 on the shaft 102 of the roller 20. This stops the rotation of the roller 20. The same thing may be accomplished by the operator manually depressing the end of the arm 86 of the bell crank lever '77. The bell crank lever 92 is held forward in the off position by the spring 95 so that the bell crank lever 92 must be reset in order to start the roller motion again.

At the same time the feed roller 259 is stopped, the twister spindle is also stopped. This is accomplish d by the motion of the arm 98 on the bell crank 93 which is connected to rod linkage 1% which is in turn connected with the support for the spindle which moves it away from contact with its driving belt 52. The resetting of the bell crank by pushing against its surface serves to start up both the twister spindle and the feed roller.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended that such details be considered as limitations upon the scope of the invention except insofar as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of twisting and plying a plurality of ends of yarn comprising combining the ends of yarn, passing the corn ined ends around and between two coacting and engaging feed rollers, moving the ends in changing paths across the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass around and between the rollers and feeding the ends all at the same speed to a twisting station.

2. A method of twisting and plying a plurality of ends of yarn comprising passing the combined ends around and between two coacting and engaging feed rollers, moving the ends in changing paths and with a rolling motion as they pass around and between the rollers, and feeding the ends to a twisting station.

-3. A method of twisting and plying a plurality of ends of yarn comprising combining the ends of yarn, passing the combined ends around and between two coacting and engaging feed rollers, continuously reciprocating the ends laterally with a rolling motion as they pass around and between the rollers, and feeding the ends all at the same speed to a twisting station.

4. In combination with a ring twisting and plying apparatus including a supply means for the ends of yarn to be twisted and plied and twisting and plying means, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers positioned between the supply means and the twisting and plying means so that the ends of yarn pass partly around the circumference of each roller as they pass between the rollers, and guide means for moving the ends of yarn laterally on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass around and between the rollers.

5. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for mounting the yarn supply packages, means for receiving the combined ends of yarn so as to impart a twist to it, coacting and engaging feed rollers for removing the ends of yarn from the supply packages and feeding them to the twisting and plying means, and guide means for moving the combined ends laterally on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass around and between the feed rollers.

6. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for mounting the yarn supply packages, means for receiving the combined ends of yarn so as to impart a twist to them, coacting and engaging feed rollers for removing the ends of yarn from the yarn package and feeding them to a twisting means, and guide means for continuously reciprocating the ends of yarn laterally on the surfaces of the feed rollers with a rolling motion as they pass over the surfaces of the feed rollers.

7 Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for supplying the individual ends of yarn, individual stop motion guides for each end of yarn, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers for advancing the ends of yarn from the supply means, through the guides and to twisting and plying means, guide means intermediate the stop motion guides and feed rollers for moving the ends laterally on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass over the feed rollers, means for rotating at least one of the rollers, twisting and plying means, and means associated with and responsive to the stop motion guides for preventing rotation of the feed rollers.

8. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for supplying the individual ends of yarn, individual stop motion guides for each end of yarn, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers for advancing the ends of yarn from the supply means, through the guides and to twisting and plying means, means for moving the ends in changing paths on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass over the feed rollers, means for rotating at least one of the rollers, twisting and plying means and means associated with and responsive to the stop motion guides for preventing rotation of the feed rollers.

9. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of mul-ti-filament yarn which comprises means for supplying the individual ends of yarn, individual stop motion guides for each end of yarn, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers for advancing the ends of yarn from the supply means through the guides and to twisting and plying means, means for moving the ends in changing paths on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass over the feed rollers, means for rotating at least one of the rollers, twisting and plying mews including a spindle, means for rotating the spindle, a ring surrounding the spindle and a traveler mounted on the ring, and means associated with and responsive to the stop motion guides for simultaneously preventing rotation of the feed rollers and the spindle.

10. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for supplying the individual ends of yarn, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers for advancing the ends of yarn from the supply means to twisting and plying means, means for moving the ends in changing paths on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass over the feedrollers, means for rotating at least one of the rollers, twisting and plying means including a spindle, means for rotating the spindle, a ring surrounding the spindle and a traveler mounted on the ring, and means for simultaneously preventing rotation of the feed rollers and the spindle.

11. Apparatus for twisting and plying a plurality of ends of multi-filament yarn which comprises means for supplying the individual ends of yarn, individual stop motion guides for each end of yarn, a pair of coacting and engaging feed rollers for advancing the ends of yarn from the supply means, through the guides and to twisting and plying means, guide means for moving the combined ends laterally on the surfaces of the feed rollers as they pass over the feed rollers, means for rotating at least one of the rollers, twisting and plying means including a spindle, means for rotating the spindle, a ring surrounding the spindle and a traveler mounted on the ring, and means associated with and responsive to the stop motion guides for simultaneously preventing rotation of the feed rollers and spindle.

References (lited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,417 Henry Aug. 26, 1913 1,471,292 Sloat Oct. 16, 1923 1,898,085 Dreyfus et a1 Feb. 21, 1933 2,216,648 McI-lugh Oct. 1, 1940 2,477,106 Winslow July 26, 1949 2,551,462 Potts May 1, 1951 2,601,394 Hansen June 24, 1952 3,014,629 Cunningham et a1 Dec. 26, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 813,137 Great Britain May 6, 1959 

